Prasophyllum odoratum
R.S.Rogers Fragrant Leek-orchidFlowering stem slender to stout, 10–80 cm tall. Leaf-blade to 50 cm long, base 2–8 mm diam., purplish. Flowers 10–50, white with greenish or reddish markings, often fragrant, in a dense to open spike 6–20 cm long; ovary obovoid, 4–6 mm long, swollen; sepals 6–10 mm long, dorsal sepal deflexed or incurved, ovate-lanceolate, lateral sepals free, ovate-lanceolate, usually divergent, recurved; petals 6–9 mm long, linear-oblong to spathulate, margins often white. Labellum 6–10 mm long, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, white, crystalline, usually bent at about 90 deg. near the middle, proximal half erect to recurved, often protruding between lateral sepals, margins strongly folded or crisped-crenulate; callus yellowish, thin-textured, channelled, ending just past the labellum bend, basal swelling prominent, pyramidal. Column appendages falcate, to 3 mm long, truncate. Flowers Oct.–Jan.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, Brid, VVP, VRiv, RobP, MuF, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT, VAlp. Also SA, NSW, ACT. New Zealand. Widespread throughout much of Victoria and present in a wide range of habitats from sea-level to the subalps.
Rouse (2002, 2005) recognised as many as 15 entities in the 'P. odoratum/patens group' but to date only two have been named (Jones 2017). Prasophyllum rousei D.L.Jones is distinctive but it remains unclear just how P. sylvicola is to be differentiated from the remainder of the complex and it is here treated as a synonym of P. odoratum. The type specimen of P. odoratum is from South Australia, and it is possible that the species in the strict sense does not occur in Victoria. The relationship between P. odoratum, P. patens, P. robustum, P. truncatum and P. album (none of which have type specimens from Victoria) is also in need of study.
Synonyms
- Prasophyllum sylvicola D.L.Jones
- Prasophyllum aff. odoratum E
- Prasophyllum aff. odoratum F
- Prasophyllum aff. odoratum H
- Prasophyllum aff. odoratum I
- Prasophyllum aff. odoratum L
- Prasophyllum sp. aff. odoratum A
- Prasophyllum sp. aff. odoratum C
- Prasophyllum sp. aff. odoratum D
- Prasophyllum sp. aff. odoratum G
- Prasophyllum sp. aff. odoratum J
- Prasophyllum sp. aff. odoratum K
- Prasophyllum sp. aff. odoratum M
Misapplications
Jones, D.L. (2017). Three new species of Orchidaceae from Victoria. Austral. Orchid Review 82(2): 51–58.
Rouse, D.T. (2002). Report on the taxonomic, ecological and conservation status of taxa in the genus Prasophyllum R.Br. in south-eastern Australia.. CD rom, published by the author.
Rouse, D.T. (2005). Report on the taxonomic, ecological and conservation status of taxa in the genus Prasophyllum R.Br. in south-eastern Australia, supplement.. CD rom, published by the author.